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msradiosilence's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content warnings at the bottom. :)
I first read the Lunar Chronicles when I was in high school. And that was a LONG time ago. My boyfriend got me the pretty cover box set, so I figured now was as good a time as any to read it!
My first major issue is that the main characters are all 16-17 years old. That’s insanity. Since the whole series takes place in like 9 months, Cinder is a <i> child </i>. She’s a baby. 16 is NOTHING. Too young to be causing all this trouble, that’s for sure. She does so much in this book and the next three, like?? Did she have to be 16?
My second major issue is that, even though this book is set in Beijing, there’s very little of Eastern Asian culture in the book. Mayhaps that’s because the author is a white woman with no ties to China, and we all know how I feel about white authors writing outside of their experiences, but I digress.
I’ve always felt so sorry for Kai. Bless him, he’s always getting the short end of the stick with all of this, and it’s a wonder he doesn’t have a full head of grey hair. Poor guy is always stressed.
Dr. Erland is one of the best unhinged characters I’ve read in a while. Morally grey, funny, he’s just a fun character to read. I don’t agree at all with anything he’s ever done, but I do love a moral grey bitch.
Rating: 4.5
Would I recommend? Yes, especially if you enjoy moon people, quippy robots, and sci-fi fairytale retellings.
Content warnings: Car accident, Child abuse, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Bullying, Death of parent, Gun violence, Ableism, Classism, Medical trauma, Blood, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Death
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
johns6ka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
readingqueerly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The story is a refreshing take on a the classic Cinderella Story (obvi). It has quite a few relevant themes and topics not the least of which a scary disease of course.
A few of the plot twists I have to say I saw coming from quite far away but I'm not personally deterred by that (same with spoilers for that matter). In fact, it was fun to see that I was right about things and even looking forward to the reveal moments.
For a book that's a decade old now (yes 10 years!) I have to say it holds up really well imo and the main character is actually really interesting and well written. That can be a downfall with those 2010s strong female main characters.
I'm well chuffed I finally read this book and I cannot wait to get the next one in the series.
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Grief
meganpbell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
calypso_the_oboe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Child abuse and Death
macliffe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Ableism and Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse
jasmineslibraryy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Slavery, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
part of the plot is a pandemiccatsphodel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Car accident
hellodebbies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It took me two months to get to the half but one day to finish the other half. Cinder, who deserves a better life honestly 💀, is a well written character with potential to be developed and I can't wait to find out more about her in the next book. And especially, how she cope with her different trauma (as she is emotionally abused by her stepmom) I would be curious to see how she deals with that since some of her parts are cyborg, and that it was said she couldn't cry. However,she can feel as she's human, thus my questioning about how she'll cope with trauma. Kai, who definitely deserves a break, is really a sweet guy, I can't wait to see his growth as an Emperor and the choices he will have to make.
I am in love with the world building and I am so eager to know more about how the Lunar work.
It was overall a really good book with great potential that I will for sure reread and recommend to my friends!
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Terminal illness
Minor: War
carrotsxcks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death